Conversation with the Devil
by FreakLove713
Summary: Lorelai has a heart2heart chat with Tristan when he shows up in Stars Hollow. Set end of Season 1. Hints of Trory.


Disclaimer: I own nothing…but that shouldn't be too big of a surprise. If I did, CMM would have stayed on GG and DC longer and would have still been on OTH. Cause couldn't you just look at him forever.

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He'd already driven past the house in Stars Hollow four times in the past ten minutes. He couldn't bring himself to stop the car. Tristan didn't think she'd be there anyway. 'She's probably spending time mooning over Bag Boy while he prices packages of hot dogs or something.'

He couldn't quite believe what he'd seen and heard the day before. Well, he believed it…he just didn't want to. He knew he deserved it – her hate. He'd done almost nothing but amuse himself at her expense since she'd shown up at Chilton. It wasn't that he hated her – actually, it was quite the opposite. He just didn't know what to do about it. There had never been a girl he couldn't get. 'Make a big enough fuss over them and the best girls in Hartford would lay down and worship at your feet.' Tristan hadn't known until he met Rory that the best girls in Hartford were nowhere near the best girls in the world, let alone the state of Connecticut.

Tristan was slowing down in front of the house for the fifth time when he had to slam on the brakes to avoid something big, pink and sparkly.

"Alright Bible Boy, enough with the Lloyd Dobbler already!!! You are going to pull into the driveway, get out of the car and tell me why the hell you are acting like a stalker or I swear I will go Tonya Harding on your car's headlights!"

He almost laughed out loud until he saw that Lorelai wasn't joking. She was waving a baseball bat around like a mad woman, ready to take aim at a moment's notice. So he slowly took his hands off the steering wheel in a gesture of surrender, poked his head out of the window and with a slight smirk said, "Gladly. However, you will have to get out of the way first…unless you want to replace my hood ornament."

"Watch it, Bible Boy. I may have a youthful complexion like my daughter's but I don't have her innocence – I can hurt you six ways from Tuesday if you mess with me."

"Duly noted, Mrs. Gilmore."

Swinging the bat closer to the front of his car with an evil glint in her eye, "You must really want to explain to daddy why your brand new car looks like it just faced Mike Tyson in a bout…"

Slowly shaking his head in the negative, Tristan muttered under his breath, "It's not like he'd even notice…" He thought he was quiet enough for Lorelai not to hear him, but he saw the recognition in her face as it softened and was amazed when she bounded over to the passenger's side, threw open the door, plopped down on the seat and exclaimed, "Home Jeeves!"

"But it's only up the driveway," he said laughing.

"And I am old and decrepit…now do as your told Bible Boy."

"Yes Mrs...I mean, Lorelai."

"That's better," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "When you said that the first time I almost had a heart attack – thought my mother had snuck up on me and you were the distraction for an ambush from Hartford society."

"I would never do anything so heinous," Tristan claimed as he pulled the car up the driveway and parked behind her Jeep.

Clapping her hands, "Yay!!! We're home…and that means coffee!"

Laughing he thought, 'Now I know where she gets it…her mother is nothing like mine. She's so not "normal." Thank god!'

He watched as Rory's mom jumped out of the car and ran like a little girl up the porch steps, disappearing into their house. 'Their house that actually looks and feels like a home, not a fortress made of money.' A few minutes later she emerged with two extremely large mugs and sat on a porch swing, beckoning for him to join her. With a deep breath, Tristan left the car, sure to check his pockets for the reason he was in the small town in the first place.

"Sit!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Ah ah ah. Be nice or no coffee for you."

"Oh," he said, "I just assumed they were both for you."

With a large smile Lorelai, "I see you are indeed well acquainted with my young spawn's fondness for the nectar of the gods." Seeing the hesitation in his face, she said, "Go ahead. Take it. I already had a cup in the house."

"But you were only in there for like…"

"A magician never tells her secret. But, fair warning, I might need to go get more depending on how long it's going to take you to tell me what you are doing here – the truth, that is."

Tristan didn't know what to say. He wasn't great with the truth. The only way people normally got it out of him was if they threatened one of his toys…or if they were oblivious that what he was saying the truth, like Rory. As he contemplated his coffee as if it held the answers of life, he could feel Lorelai sizing him up. He wasn't worried – no one had seen through his society veneer to his true face for so long he sometimes doubted it was still there.

Sighing Lorelai said, "Kid, they sure did a number on you."

The comment caught him by surprise and Tristan found himself looking into Lorelai's face without even realizing he had moved his head. As he stuggled to compose himself, he saw empathy and sadness in her eyes. Shrugging it off, he said, "I don't need your pity."

Lorelai reached over and placed her hand on his elbow. "Kid, it's not pity. It's understanding. I was there once…and it almost killed me. That's why I left. I didn't want Rory to have to live that life."

"Sorry, it's just that I'm not used to…"

"Regular people? Non stuck-up horrid society ladies with matchmaking aspirations and corporate take-over dreams? Yeah, I wasn't either at first. But I knew the rest of the world wasn't like that – couldn't be like that." Laughing, "There just wasn't enough matricide in the news, you know? So I figured it had to be better anywhere else."

"My father calls that 'not living in reality.'" Scoffing, "Like we live in reality? He doesn't seem to remember that I know how to read and watch TV. I know what's going on in the rest of the world, and it isn't what happens in my life."

"I know exactly what you mean. My mother, the devil curse her, was so blind…"

As Tristan listened to Lorelai tell him the abbreviated version of her life to this point, including getting pregnant at 16, refusing to marry Christopher and running away to live a tool shed, he realized how strong she was. How strong Rory was because of her – and how loved. Her story made him think that maybe someday he could break away from the life he hated. Do what he always wanted to do – whatever that was.

"…And that brings us to today, with you cruising by my house 50 times without ever stopping to say hi." Pouting, "I thought we were friends, Bible Boy."

"It wasn't 50! It was four…okay, five. And I was going to stop, I just couldn't."

"Which brings me to ask the question, what are you doing here? I can't even imagine," Lorelai responded with a glimmer of laughter in her eyes.

"You know! Don't you? You know everything! God, of course she told you. You're her best friend. I am such and idiot! I can't believe…"

Holding up her hand, "Pause the rant, please. I must go collect more of the nectar of the gods. Tell somebody your life story and you become parched." Lorelai stood up, stretched and slowly made her way into the house giving Tristan time to calm himself and collect his thoughts. She knew why he was there but she needed to hear him say it. And if he was all wound up, she'd probably never get it out of him.

Muttering to himself, "Why did I even think she'd be surprised? Rory tells her everything. And it's not a great leap of intuition to figure out what I'm doing here. Especially if you know our history. It's not like I've been hiding my feelings very well today. I can't believe this! Here I am and I don't even have the guts to…"

"Tristan?"

Looking up Tristan was confronted with the only girl who could turn him into Silly Putty with a single look. 'The girl of my dreams…and I always make our moments together nightmares.' Rory looked really concerned. She had her head tilted to the side and her eyes were obviously looking for some kind of bodily damage – something that would reduce the normally suave and self-confident Tristan DuGray to a mumbling crazy person on her front porch. She might not like him much right now, but that didn't mean she wanted him to have a mental breakdown. Especially on her front porch… 'Wait a sec. What's he doing on my front porch?'

Finally shaking himself from his reverie enough to stop staring at her, Tristan managed a weak, "Hi there Mary."

"Kiddo is that you?!?!?" Lorelai screamed from inside.

"Yeah mom. I'm home." Rory replied just as loudly.

As Lorelai came into view through the front door, she gestured behind her, "Fresh pot of coffee in there hon. Why don't you get some and give us a few minutes?"

Looking at her mother as if she had sprouted a second head, "Us? – Oh, ummmm, okay. Sorry didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's okay babe. I'll be done with him in a few," Lorelai replied with a slightly evil wink.

Standing abruptly, Tristan said, "Actually, I should really be going. Ummm, thanks for the coffee and…everything."

"Absolutely not! Sit your rich ass down! Rory, hon, give us a bit?"

"Yeah, no problem Mom. Tristan." Shaking her head Rory went into the house, quietly shutting the door behind her.

"So where were we Bible Boy? Ahhhh, that's right. You were about to spill the beans."

"As long as they're not coffee, right?"

"You learn quickly grasshopper. Now out with it!"

Smirking, "Why don't you just tell me? Since you are oh-so-wise…"

Huffing, "Fine. Take all my fun. Let's see. Where to start? I believe it all began when my darling daughter began at hell, I mean, Chilton. You went after her. She rejected you. You tried harder, but in the wrong ways. There was almost a fight. A kiss. More fighting. A tentative friendship. Lots of horrid teasing and name-calling. My daughter is NOT a Mary, by the way. She may look innocent, but she is related to me and that takes her off the Mary list indefinitely. Then you saw your chance. You planned a big surprise, but once again did it the wrong way. More fighting – almost the biggest you've ever had and oh-so-publicly too. Then Dean showed up. A few choice words. She said 'I love you' but not to you. You walked off pissed, and have since realized what an ass you've been. And then came to the startlingly easy decision that you still wanted her to go to PJ Harvey even if it wasn't with you. Oh and you're in love with her. That about sum it up?"

Stunned, "Does she know that last part?"

"You mean that part where you're in love with her? No. My spawn is a bit oblivious to the male factor, even when it's blatantly staring her in the face."

Putting his head in his hands and sighing, "Well in this case I think that's a good thing."

"Why? Because she's playing it safe and not taking chances?"

"No because I think I might be eviscerated if she ever found out how I really feel about her."

"Tristan, my boy, you are too hard on yourself. After all, you have her mom on your side," winking at his surprised face. "Hey, I never got anywhere playing it safe and she is my child. Even if she thinks she wants a steady – read boring – life, she doesn't. The Lorelai in her craves excitement and mystery…and most of all a challenge. And that's you."

"But…"

"No buts…unless they are the 'itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face'-type," giggling.

"You Gilmore girls really are unique creatures, you know that?"

"Don't you forget it bud," poking him in the chest repeatedly. "And if you hurt her and prove me wrong, I swear I will hunt you down and make you wish you had never been born." Lighter, "But I don't expect it to come to that, do you?"

Shrugging a little, "I don't know. I don't want to hurt her. I never do. But it seems that's all I can do, like it's in my genetic make-up to be a jerk as soon as she appears…like an allergy or something."

"Well I wouldn't put it that way when you explain this all to her." Laughingly, "A girl does not want to hear that a hot boy like you is allergic to her. She might take it the wrong way."

"See what I mean? Even when I talk about her I mess it up. I can't do this. Just give these to her please," shoving the PJ Harvey tickets he pulled out of his jacket pocket towards Lorelai's hands.

"Oh no. You are so not getting out of that this easily. But since you have them out already…RORY!!!! He's all yours!"

"No! Lorelai, please don't do this to me."

"It's already done kid. Just take a deep breath. Talk to her like you've been talking to me. I am half her DNA after all." She nudges him, "You'll feel a lot better once you've done this." Walking towards the door, "One step closer to the freedom that you want. Cause if anyone can teach you about that it's me and mine."

Rory stood in the doorway. Having heard the last few words of her mother's comments, she looked thoroughly confused.

"Go on, Ror. He's ready and waitin'." At the worried look from her daughter, Lorelai laughed, "Don't worry, he doesn't bite." And with that she pushed her daughter towards the bench, pausing only to give Tristan a thumbs-up and entered the house.

"Ummm…so, hi."

"Hey." Tristan didn't know what to do. He was fidgeting with his hands and he couldn't really look Rory in the eyes. 'Where should I start?'

"Tristan, are you okay?"

Relief flooded through him and he chuckled slightly. "Yeah, Rory, I'm fine. Guess if you're asking me how I am, you don't really hate me, right?"

"Tristan, I never…"

Poking her head out of the window next to the porch swing, Lorelai sing-songed, "Oh Bible Boy."

Spinning around, "Huh?"

"No matter what the Queen of Hearts," gesturing to Rory, "over there says you'll always have a place to call home in Stars Hollow…after all I am the one that pays the mortgage." With a fast grin, Lorelai's head disappeared from the window as quickly as it had surfaced. Then the two teens could hear an off-key version of Sir Mix-A-Lot coming from inside the house.

Inwardly groaning, Tristan slowly turned to face Rory. Seeing her impish grin, he groaned out loud. "The window was open the entire time, wasn't it?"

Sing-songing, the younger Lorelai replied with a genuine smile, "I'll never tell."


End file.
